Valve-control mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



C. A. STICKNEY. VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, I9l5.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

CHARLES A. STICKNEY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE-CONTROL MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed September 1'7, 1915. Serial No. 51,283.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. S'rIoKNnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-Control Mechanism for Internal- Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide simple, inexpensive and positive means for operating the inlet and exhaust valves ordinarily employed in four cycle internal combustion engines.

Another object of my invention is to provide means associated with the cam and the push rod of the exhaust valve whereby-the cam will open and close the exhaust valve without any lost motion.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby both the inlet valve and exhaust valve push rods may be actuated by the same cam.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the cam shaft may be actuated from a shaft driven at one-half engine speed and utilized in transmitting the power of the engine itself to the load to which the engine is applied.

The drawings which form a part of this specification disclose in Figure 1 a view of a hopper cooled internal combustion engine as viewed from one side with the crank and half speed shafts cut away and a portion of the cam shaft housing broken away.

The engine cylinder is supplied with the ordinary inlet valve 2 and exhaust valve 3 placed in the head of the engine and push rods 3 and a slidable horizontally, controlled by springs 5 and 6 extend to the valve control housing, as better shown in section in Fig. 2, which is a vertical section through the valve control housing and the inlet valve lever taken on the center lines of the inlet and exhaust valve push rods, the two push rods and the balls in the housing being shown in full.

The crank 7, Fig. 1, and connecting rod 8 are connected in the ordinary manner, the piston not being shown.

Keyed to the crank shaft, a reducing pinion 9 meshes with a reducing gear 10 keyed to the shaft 11 which also has keyed thereon the spiral gear 12 intermeshing with the spiral gear 13 keyed to the cam driving shaft 14, which has keyed to the other end thereof, a spiral gear. 15 of the same diameter as the spiral gear 13 and which meshes with spiral gear 16 keyed to the shaft 17, which has keyed thereon the cam 18, Fig.

As the gear 9 is one-half the diameter of the gear lO ancl the spiral gears 12 and 16 and spiral gears 13 and 15 are of equal diameter, respectively, the cam shaft 17 is driven at one-half the engine speed, which is the suitable speed for operating the valves of a four cycle engine.

The cam 18 driven in a clockwise direction will. lift the ball 19 and through it the cup 20, thereby moving the inlet valve lever 21 pivoted at 22 toward the engine-at 23, thereby pushing the inlet valve push rod 3 and with it the inlet valve 2 so as to open the valve and allow the admission of a charge of combustible gas in the manner ordinarily employed in internal combustion engines.

When the cam 18 has traveled beyond the ball 19, the spring 5 will close the inlet valve 2, the lever 2, the lever 21, cup and ball 19 being forced back in the position shown in the drawing.

hen the cam 18 pushes the ball 25 toward the engine the exhaust valve 3 is opened through the medium of the push rod and it is evident that there can be no side motion to interfere with the exact time of opening of the exhaust valve, as the movement is controlled from the ball 25 and any lateral 'motion of the head 26 would not influence the time of opening of the exhaust valve, as the distance from the head of the valve to the point where the cam begins to move the ball 25 is always the same.

Vhile I have described my invention as embodied in one particular design and illustrated it in one construction, 1 do not wish it understood that I limit myself to this construction, as it is evident my invention may be varied within the scope of the fol lowing claims:

Claims:

1. In valve control mechanism for an internal combustion engine the combination of two valves, each of said valves having a push rod associated therewith, a cam, a ball intermediate between one end of one push rod and said cam, a ball cup having an annular groove therein and containing said ball in the cup portion thereof, said ball being located intermediate between said cam and said ball. cup, a pivoted lever, one end of Which coacts With the second of said push rods, the other end. of which is located in the annular groove of said ball cup and actuated by the motion of said ball cup.

2. In valve control mechanism for an internal combustion engine the combination of an inlet valve and an exhaust valve, a cam driven at a predetermined relative speed by said engine, a ball cup having a cup portion therein, a ball positioned in said ball cup, said ball being located between said cup portion of said ball cup and said cam, a pivoted lever, one end of which coacts CHARLES A. STICKNE Y.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

